Neymar, Alexander-Arnold, Kimmich, and Son are among the athletes whose contracts are nearing their end, allowing them to commit to new clubs as early as next year.
Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool Conundrum
Mohamed Salah has made his situation at Liverpool clear: his contract runs until June 2025, and there are no talks of renewal yet. Like the Egyptian star, several players from top leagues worldwide are in the same boat, such as Neymar, Son, Alexander-Arnold, and Kevin De Bruyne. This means they can enter into pre-contract agreements with new teams starting in January.
FIFA regulations allow players to sign pre-contracts with new teams at least six months before their current contract expires and without a transfer fee. Therefore, this is a viable option for deals expiring in June 2025.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Like his teammate Salah, the 26-year-old Liverpool defender has an uncertain future. Alexander-Arnold has been with the English club since 2016 and his contract runs until next June.
A Champions League and Club World Cup winner with Liverpool, Arnold was rumored to be a target for Real Madrid, according to the English press.
Neymar
The Brazilian forward signed with Al-Hilal in October 2023. However, a string of injuries has limited him to just seven appearances for the Saudi club. His latest return to the pitch was last month, after more than a year out. In his second match of the season, Neymar played for 30 minutes before suffering a new thigh injury.
His contract with Al-Hilal runs until June 2025, though the Saudi press has reported a possible termination in January.
Son Heung-Min
The South Korean striker is another with an uncertain future. Son will celebrate ten years with Tottenham in 2025 and has yet to renew his contract. At 32, he has become one of the most important players for both the Korean national team and the English club.
Tottenham has the option to extend Son’s contract by one more year, according to a clause in his deal.
Joshua Kimmich
Kimmich has been with Bayern Munich since 2015. The club’s sporting director, Max Eberl, expressed interest in renewing with the German player in October, as he is a key player in Kompany’s squad.
However, the contract has not been extended since then. Kimmich’s deal with Bayern expires in mid-2025, coinciding with his ten-year anniversary at the Munich club.
Kevin De Bruyne
Another player who could shake up the next transfer window is Manchester City’s midfielder. With a decade at the club and numerous trophies under his belt, De Bruyne is a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s team, who recently renewed his contract.
In July of this year, the Belgian was linked with a potential move to Al-Ittihad, the Saudi club with Benzema and Kanté. The “Daily Mail” reports that City was hesitant to block his exit, fearing a free departure in January.
Leroy Sané
Sané enjoyed a great spell at Bayern Munich after joining the team in 2020. However, the forward has lost his place in the current squad and has been a substitute under Vincent Kompany.
He was offered to Real Madrid in 2022, according to the Spanish newspaper “Marca,” but the deal fell through. Sané’s contract also expires in June 2025.
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool’s captain and defensive stalwart, Virgil van Dijk, could bid farewell to the club in 2025 after six seasons. In January of this year, when Liverpool underwent significant changes with the end of the Jürgen Klopp era, the Dutch center-back remained tight-lipped about his future.
At 33, Van Dijk’s focus was on the titles at stake and the monumental task of rebuilding the team after such a significant loss. His contract with Liverpool runs until June 2025.
Denzel Dumfries
The Dutch full-back was sold to Inter Milan at the end of the 2020/2021 season after shining at PSV and during Euro 2020. Dumfries is now a multi-champion in Italy, with three Supercups, one Serie A title, and three Coppa Italia trophies under his belt.
His standout performances at the 2022 World Cup with the Dutch national team attracted interest from other European clubs, including Chelsea. His contract with Inter Milan also expires in June 2025, and he could be looking at a move, potentially signing a pre-contract in January.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire has had a storied tenure at Manchester United, helping secure an English League Cup and an FA Cup in his five-year stint. However, his time at the club has been a rollercoaster, with moments where he was the fourth-choice defender under former manager Erik ten Hag.
United turned down a £20 million (approximately R$ 120 million) offer from West Ham for the defender. Now, a year later, his contract remains unchanged, set to expire in June 2025.
